Porthmeor Studios
Around 1885 artists started to come to St Ives. They began using Porthmeor net lofts, providing extra income for the fishermen out of season. They later moved into purpose build studios and by 1900 there were around a dozen artists studios there.
The building itself is grade II listed, and is constructed of a mix of stone, concrete and timber frame with a wet-laid slate roof. The Atlantic weather took its toll on the building though and a recent £4million renovation has breathed new life into the building.
Artists who have worked here include Julius Olsson, Frances Hodgkins, Ben Nicholson, Patrick Heron, Francis Bacon and Wilhelmina Barns-Graham.
The recent renovations increased the studios to 19, 15 of which are used by artists, 2 for the St Ives School Of Painting, and 2 for the trust.
Many events and exhibitions are run here, including art classes, installations, and the really interesting old net lofts which show how the fishing industry and artists worked side by side.
